
Two Friends, One Wild Alaska Adventure, and the Gear That Showed Up for Us
Two friends. One bucket-list trip. Endless laughter and a shared love of fly fishing that keeps leading us to the best kind of adventures.

Two friends. One bucket-list trip. Endless laughter and a shared love of fly fishing that keeps leading us to the best kind of adventures.

September in Alaska. The sun is still warm, and the bustle of summer is winding down. Most of the tourists have come and gone. The streams and trails are returning to their quieter state, and locals are reemerging to take advantage of the final days before the snow will fall on braided streams and the peaks of the Front Range of the Chugach Mountains. As a year-round resident of Alaska, the shoulder season represents a true transition. Fall is a time to reflect on the adventures of the months

Giddy. I don’t use the word often, but it’s the best way I can describe my demeanor as our flight touched down in King Salmon, Alaska late last August. My uncles, first time visitors to the Bristol Bay region, sat chatting a few rows ahead of me. When the plane came to a halt, I did my best “keep it cool” impression as I unbuckled, grabbed my carry-on, and walked up the aisle to meet them. As we stepped off the plane, I smirked and thought, “Holy buckets, this place is about to blow your socks